Chapter 4

Alyssa

Pain and warmth mingled through my entire body. Everything hurt and I didn’t dare move for fear of making it all hurt that much worse. I thought I was dying.

Carl’s furious face flashed into my mind. The wild madness in his eyes. There was no hope I’d survive a look like that, yet I couldn’t be dead. There was too much pain for me to be dead. 

“Why isn’t she awake yet,” The voice sounded muffled to my ears, but that was a voice I wouldn’t ever forget. Kalen. But that didn’t make any sense. Was I having delusions? As my head started to clear the voice or well voices became clearer. One was unfamiliar, but the other was unmistakably Kalen. 

I tried to open my eyes, but the light was blinding me. It took me a second to adjust but when I saw Kalen sitting next to me. My breath caught in my throat at the sight of him. While his face had matured, he was still so very damn handsome. What was he doing here? And where was I exactly?

I glanced around the room and saw three other people were here. Feeling exposed from laying on my back with so many people, I sat up. Pain tore through me and I couldn’t help but grunt.

“Alyssa, you're finally awake” Kalen turned to me, his eyes lit up. But just in a moment, the excitement in his face faded and his eyes darkened. 

I couldn’t help doubting whether I had an illusion again. My throat was too dry, and I could utter no word. The young woman rushed over and handed Kalen a glass of what I assumed was water then backed away quickly.

“Here, try to drink some,” he said in a soft but indifferent tone. He held the glass to my lips, while his dark eyes watched me quietly. I started to drink greedily, my dry throat was slowly soothed. But all the past came back: his lie, the war, my father, my trial... Anger surged in me, more hotter and powerful than I’d ever felt before. Instead of drinking, I grabbed his wrist and sunk my teeth into his hand.

Kalen cried out in surprise and pain, while the younger man rushed over and tried to grab me. “What are you doing?” the man yelled. “He saved your life!” 

I growled and bit down harder on Kalen’s hand, tasting blood. I wouldn’t listen to any more lies. No one was going to trick me ever again!

“Stop Jack,” Kalen demanded, waving him off. “Everyone out. Leave us!”

“But-” the younger man, Jack, started but stop and ducked his head. “Yes, Alpha.”

“Alpha, she’s in a delicate state. She still needs a lot of rest and healing,” the older man reminded and they all left. 

With an embarrassing amount of ease, Kalen removed his hand from my bite. Either I was a lot weaker than I thought or Kalen had gotten a lot stronger. “Get away from me, liar” I demanded, trying to shove him away from me, but Kalen didn’t budge an inch.

“Easy, Alyssa, I know you're confused and angry, but I promise I’ll explain everything,” he said with a calmness I found incredibly irritating.

“Where am I? How did I get here,” I demanded, pushing myself against the headboard of the bed in an attempt to put as much distance between me and him as I could. 

“We’re in my home, the rogue pack, and I brought you here, as I…”

My eyes widened. “What? No,” I breathed. This would just be more evidence the elders could use against me to make me look guilty to the Lycan King. I couldn’t be here! 

He took a deep breath, as if to restrain his anger “You need rest. I promise I will explain everything but first-”

“No,” I said, my voice growing louder. “I can’t be here! I can’t be here with you! Not after what you did. You killed my father!”

A look of surprise washed over his face. “I didn’t-”

“No!” This time I screamed the word. “I’m not believing you, ever again! I’ll make you pay for it! You’ll pay for everything!” I grabbed the abandoned glass off a small night stand and threw it at him.

“Do you hear me?” I continued to shout, grabbing whatever was with in my arms reach to throw at him. “I will avenge my father,” I yelled, tears now streaming down my face. I grabbed the last thing on the nightstand, a large vase and with both hands hurled it at him.

Kalen didn’t even flinch as I screamed at him. He didn’t even seem to notice the trickle of blood running down the side of his forehead where something I’d thrown had cut him. Instead, Kalen just looked at me with big sorrowful eyes.

I shook my head. I wouldn’t believe those lying eyes. No. He wasn’t sorry. Kalen was just trying to trick me. “I have to get out of here,” I said, more to myself than to him. “I have to leave.” Throwing back the blanket, I tried to stand but my legs gave out from under me and I collapsed onto the cool ground.

Kalen was by my side instantly and picked me up into his arms. How could after everything he did to me could his embrace still feel so warm and safe. Kalen wasn’t safe. He was a liar.

I tried to fight against his grip, but he held me so tightly. With a burst of strength, he scooped me up and set me down on the bed again. Without hesitation, he pressed his body firmly over me. He pinned my hands with one hand and forced me to look into his eyes with the other.  “You want revenge, right? You want revenge for your father and for everything you’ve been through. Fine. I’ll give it to you, but you need to be alive to get it,” He snarled, with a fist slammed down on my side.

He watched me silently, his eyes brightened with anger. My throat closed and I couldn’t speak. In a few seconds, he left me and covered me back up with the blankets, his movements so kind and gentle as if nothing happened. I had to remind myself over and over he was a liar. Kalen walked over to a small table by the door and poured another glass of water and walked back over to me. “Drink,” he insisted.

“Stop pretending to be nice,” I shook my head. I didn’t want anything from him.

“Alyssa,” he said in a soft, but chastising tone.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “No. I’m no longer such a naive idiot, so drop it.”

Kalen sighed. “Alright, I guess we’ll do this the hard way.” He took a drink from the glass then pulled me to him. His mouth fell on mine before I could react. His tongue pushed into my mouth as he tried to pour the water into mine. My eyes widened, and I struggled to push him away. But he held me more tightly. I desperately beat his chest with both hands, with all my efforts. Nothing worked. His mouth stayed on mine until I finally swallowed. 

Then he seemed to lose his mind, the embrace becoming a violent kiss. I twisted my head hard hoping to break free, but felt a sharp pain in my lip. In an instant, a smell of blood spread in my mouth.  A huge grievance emerged in my heart and I had lost all my strength in the moment.  He seemed to feel my weakness suddenly and slowly released me. He stared at me, with an unreadable expression,  anger, pain, and a hint of love… 

A knock on the door saved me and I pushed Kalen away from me. This time he backed up and away from me. I wiped my mouth hard while my face reddened all over. A second later the young woman was back, but her expression was twisted with anxiety. “Sorry, Alpha, but James insisted on seeing you. I tried-” she explained then jerked with surprise when the door suddenly burst open. 

A tall, broad middle-aged man walked inside with a loud, boisterous laugh, but there was a cold, cruel twinge to it. “Well, well,” the man, James, said. “You actually did it. You got yourself a woman the manly way. I’ll be honest. I didn’t think you had it in you. I thought you to be just a pansy as my brother. Always talking of peace and order every goddamn single day.” He scoffed and rolled his eyes with obvious disgust.

James turned his gaze to me, first curious then darkened with unmistakable lust. I pulled the blanket higher as if that would hide me from this man. Kalen stood up and moved around the bed so that he was between me and the man.

“We’ll talk later, Uncle. For now, please leave,” Kalen told him, his voice polite but also matter of fact with little to no emotion.

James chuckled, moving so he could stare at me a moment longer. My stomach churned at the sight of him.

“Of course,” he said, straightening up. “Take all the time you need. Have fun.”

Kalen watched him leave and didn’t move until the other man was out of sight. He looked at the girl. “Clean this room and change her bed,” he told her then walked back over to me. 

“Listen, Alyssa, don’t do anything stupid that would put yourself at risk. I will take measures if you try to hurt yourself,” he explained, a warning or maybe it was a threat, clear in his voice. “And no matter what, never, ever leave this room without my permission.” he continued, his voice stern with seriousness.

Kalen’s expression softened. “Forget everything Carl told you about the pack, about the Lycan King. I can promise you they’ll support you.” Before I could object he pressed his lips to my forehead and he left.